Mass Effect: The Three Mercenaries
by Maya Aodhan
Summary: An A/U based on Alexandre Dumas' Three Musketeers - Tali asks an old friend for help when someone starts attacking her settlements on Rannoch. Archangel and his mercs drop everything on Omega to come help an old friend.
1. Chapter 1

A dozen quarian helmets tilted up to the skies in confusion. Shuttles were inbound, an insect hum in the air. The Rannoch skies were golden and beautiful in the late afternoon light as the menace swept in on a tidal wave.

"They aren't ours…" a green garbed quarian murmured in confusion, activating his omnitool, sending a message through to the citadel.

* * *

Admiral Tali'zorah vas Neema nar Rayya stood on the cliffs overlooking the burning settlement and did not weep. She could see the bodies of her people down there. She could see the blown remains of the geth, lying where they had tried to defend the people they had sworn to protect. She did not weep, but her soul cried out in anguish.

"Ancestors, who would do this awful thing?" Captain Kal'Reegar vas Neema nar Idenna spoke from behind her.

"Creator Tali'Zorah, our sensors detect that there is no life within the Xen'haenon settlement. All life signs have been extinguished," a geth prime informed her, its voice crackling with sorrow.

Tali rose a hand to her brow, and her voice was hard when she finally spoke, "I want the settlement locked down. Now. Prime, I want guards posted at the site - no one is to go in without my direct authorisation."

"Yes, Creator Tali'zorah, it will be done," the geth nodded.

A tall human woman in robes that flowed as she walked stepped out of the shuttle as she approached. Her face was twisted in an expression of great sorrow, and her eyes reddened as though from weeping.

"Tali," Miranda Lawson shook her head and held out her hands, "Gods, I am sorry. We had no warning, no knowledge that our space had been breached."

Tali'zorah took Miranda's hands briefly, glancing back over her shoulder to where Kal'Reegar spoke with the prime. She closed her eyes, and her voice was very soft, "I will have them found and make them pay."

She stepped into the shuttle and sat down on the seat opposite her human advisor. Kal'Reegar paused at the doorway of the shuttle, his voice was low as he spoke to Tali, "With your permission, Admiral, I am going down into the settlement. Something…its bugging me."

"Of course, Captain," Tali nodded her head, "I will send the shuttle back."

Kal slapped his hand on the door of the shuttle and it slid closed. Tali keyed her omnitool and information flickered down her helmet's HUD. She was quiet for a long time. Miranda sat in silence, giving her the space she clearly required to gather her thoughts.

"Xen'haeron was an outer settlement," Tali began after a moment, "Only just getting on its feet. There were a hundred and fifteen quarians out there, fifty geth to support them. The biospheres were almost ready to come online. Two days and they would have been online and we might have been prepared for this."

Miranda's voice was soft in the enclosed space of the cabin, "Our sensors did not pick them up, and there was no warning from the geth dreadnoughts either."

"I'm going to call in a favour. I want people on this that I trust. That I know can help me without fear of politics," Tali stared out of the window of the shuttle, her voice emphatic.

"That might be a mistake, Tali," Miranda spoke hesitantly.

Tali sharply turned her head back to Miranda, her voice was irritated, "Why?"

"Rannoch is still finding its feet," Miranda tried to explain, "If we cannot be seen handling our own problems…we might be thought weak."

"With all due respect, Miranda," Tali's snapped, "This is about my people, not about our image."

"I…" Miranda went to reply, but hesitated and cast her eyes down to her lap and her clasped hands, "Of course, Tali. I'm sorry."

* * *

Archangel snapped the final part of his sniper rifle back into place, it's pieces gleaming and oiled. He caressed its smooth curves like a faithful lover and hoisted her up to rest on its stand on his workbench.

"Archangel?" the query came from the doorway. The turian glanced around.

"Thane," he acknowledged the drell, "Yes?"

"I have a message for you," Thane held out the datapad.

Archangel sighed, and accepted the tablet, "Who from now?"

"Admiral Tali'zorah vas Neema," the drell replied, his hands linked behind his back.

The turian stilled, and after a moment scrolled through the messages and found the one he was looking for. He frowned, "Hells. Thane, find Zaeed. We need a meeting. Now."

"He's in Afterlife."

"Isn't he always?" Garrus Vakarian aka Archangel cast Thane a wry glance.

Thane chuckled drily, "Only since Aria set him up with free drinks thanks to saving her blue backside."

Garrus just shook his head, "Just get him here." He levered himself to standing from his seat, "We are going to take a little trip."

* * *

"So..what you're saying is…we get to head to a planet virtually devoid of wildlife. Filled to the brim with geth and quarians…and work out why someone has knocked out one of their settlements?" Zaeed repeated the gist of what Archangel had told him, "Well that just sounds peachy keen. How much are we getting paid?"

"This one is being done for free, Zaeed," Archangel replied sharply.

"Well that's just a pile of horse shit, Archangel," the mercenary protested, "We don't do nothing for free."

"For Tali'zorah we do," Garrus replied in his quiet way.

Zaeed quieted, "Look, alright. I suppose. But seriously, Archangel, we have a good thing going here! The Blue Suns and Blood Pack are staying the hell out of our way now! If we leave, we will have to start again. And there is this pretty little asari that is coming around to my way of thinking…"

Archangel shrugged, "Get packed, Zaeed, we leave tonight."

Zaeed just groaned, "Gods there are times when I hate you, man." He stalked off, muttering under his breath.

Thane turned back to the turian after watching Zaeed depart, "Are you prepared to see Tali'zorah again, Archangel?"

Archangel glanced up, "Yes." His tone was stern, though it had no affect on his old friend.

"She would not have called you unless she was in a lot of trouble," Thane remarked smoothly.

"I know," the tone was getting irritated now.

"And she is to be wed to Captain Kal'Reegar."

"Damnit, Thane, I know! We had a brief…thing…years ago. I'm not in love with the girl. It was just a time and place," Archangel shrugged, "Quit being so nosy."

"Very well, Garrus," Thane bowed his head, though there was concern in his eyes, "I shall be ready for departure shortly."

"Yeah," Garrus stared at his desk when the drell had departed, the surface littered with the debris of the last two years. A hammered silver pendant hung on the side of his terminal, hovering over the small, stretching figure of an onyx cat, "Yeah, I will be ready."

* * *

Tali'zorah watched three armoured men step off the shuttle. The first she knew - Garrus Vakarian, in his blue armour, the other two were unknowns - a drell, in a sleek black tunic, and a human plastered with tattoos and armed to the teeth. She waited uneasily.

"Tali," Garrus' rumbling voice was almost a comfort, but she remained aloof.

"Garrus Vakarian," she replied, holding out her hand in greeting, "It is good to see you. I notice you have brought your companions with you."

"Two men I have fought alongside and trust like brothers - Thane Krios," he gestured to his friend who bowed respectfully.

"Yes, I remember you. It is good to see you again, Thane," Tali returned the polite gesture with a bow of her head.

"And Zaeed Massani, a one time leader of the Blue Suns who saw the light one bright and shiny day on Omega," Garrus gestured toward Zaeed.

"What Archangel means is that he kicked my ass and took down my entire squad. I wanted out, and the asshole turned out to be a decent enough guy to work with," Zaeed drawled and nodded politely enough.

"Then I hope you can help me," Tali dropped the volume of her voice.

"What's going on, Tali?" Garrus asked, frowning down at her, "You didn't give any detail in your message."

"I couldn't," her voice broke a little, but she stiffened her spine, "I don't know who to trust, Garrus. Another settlement went down yesterday. Another settlement whose security wasn't online yet. They aren't hitting our armoured units. Two hundred and sixteen souls - geth and quarian."

"I'm sorry, Tali," Garrus touched her arm, but she pulled away awkwardly.

"Come on," she intoned, and gestured for them to follow, "I have some people you need to meet."


	2. Chapter 2

"So what do you think?" Archangel asked, as the three men sat in the shade out on a balcony overlooking one of the many picturesque valleys of Rannoch. The Rayya Citadel had been the first biosphere built. With the help of the geth, the place where the quarians could, within their own quarters, remove their helmets for short periods within the day without the massive risk of infection.

"She's got someone feeding whoever it is information," Thane replied bluntly.

"Yeah," Zaeed drawled.

"Who would your money go on?" Archangel looked at the two men thoughtfully.

"Kal'Reegar seems a decent enough sort," Zaeed took a puff of his cigar and blew the smoke into the air, "Protective of his girl. I respect that."

"For such a heathen, Zaeed," Thane waved his hand in the cloud of smoke that surrounded him, "You are astute."

"Kiss my ass, preacher," Zaeed drawled, and huffed a smoke ring into the air.

"Stay focused," Archangel scowled, "What about Miranda?"

Thane drew his hands together, prayerlike, resting his elbows upon his knees. He stared into space for a moment. "She is very lovely," he intoned, "And she knows it."

Zaeed snorted, "Great set of tits on the woman."

Archangel rubbed his brow as though it ached, "Spirits, Zaeed."

Thane continued as though Zaeed hadn't spoken, "She is very intelligent, and seems genuinely upset by the deaths and for Tali's well being. What is her story?"

Archangel leaned back in his chair, "Not really sure. She was part of the human contingent that assisted Tali with the negotiations with the geth. When the geth consensus ended all hostility and agreed to help with the rebuild of Rannoch in exchange for settlement rights, most of the humans returned to Alliance space. This Miranda Lawson decided to stay."

"So either she is running a scam on your buddy, or she's all altruistic and shit," Zaeed blew another smoke ring.

"We will keep an eye on her," Thane acknowledged.

They all glanced up as the sound of a shuttle hummed through the air.

"Huh, Alliance markings," Archangel shaded his eyes against the glare of the Rannoch sun.

"What do they want out this way?" Zaeed grumbled, stubbing out his cigar on the solid sole of his boot.

"Let's go find out," Garrus rose to his full height.

"Indeed."

* * *

The sole figure that stepped off the shuttle was in N7 armour and armed with some decent weaponry. He was solid, with tattoos snaking up his neck.

Archangel stood with his arms folded across his chest, Thane in his habitual posture of hands folded behind him, and Zaeed in hipcocked arrogance.

"Welcoming committee?" the accented voice drawled.

"Just wondering what Systems Alliance wants on Rannoch," Archangel replied.

"Checking up on things…you know…" a shrug as a heavy rifle is hefted on solid shoulders, "And what's a …turian, drell and …" a frown at Zaeed, "…you, want here?"

"Old friends of the Admiral," Archangel shifted slightly.

"Ain't that interesting," an easy going smile, "Take care, fellas. You…stay out of trouble." The N7 strolled toward the main buildings without looking back.

"I don't think I like that guy," Zaeed growled, "I could shoot him. We could just say he fell off a cliff or something."

"You just don't like him because you didn't scare him, Zaeed," Thane replied calmly.

Zaeed paused, pointed at Thane and frowned forbiddingly, "Shut up."

"If you two have quite finished, now the sun is losing some of that intensity, we should head out to the sites and see what we can see," Archangel stared out at the horizon.

* * *

The buildings still smoked. The bodies were gone, buried with quarian honours and the remains of the geth had been retrieved and sent back to the dreadnoughts that hovered as protection over Rannoch.

Archangel squatted and touched the scorch marks that discoloured a wall splattered with quarian blood. He circled his fingertips together and frowned thoughtfully.

Thane strolled up beside him and his voice was matter-of-fact, "The weapons are human in origin."

"Yeah," Archangel sighed, "Yeah, they are."

Zaeed jumped down from the roof top, the low structure an easy distance, "There was a turret up there, blew up. Got some interesting tech built in.

Archangel rose to his full height, "I'm going to guess that the other settlement has some similar evidence."

"Would be fair to say," Zaeed nodded his agreement.

"That's a big call," a new voice echoed in the silent settlement.

The three mercenaries turned, and brought up their weapons. The N7 agent held up his hands, unarmed, and strolled down a set of stairs to their level.

"What are you doing here?" Archangel snapped, not lowering his weapons.

"Followed you," came the drawling reply, "So you think humans did this?" He jerked his chin at the carnage.

"Who are you?" Zaeed growled, his weapon still up.

"Lieutenant James Vega, Systems Alliance," he didn't need to add 'N7', "Maybe if you introduce yourselves, you can lower those weapons and just maybe we can help each other out?"

"This is Thane Krios," Archangel gestured to the drell, then the human, "Zaeed Massani, and…I'm Archangel."

Vega's eyes narrowed, "You are shittin' me."

"No," Archangel looked at his companions with a frown, "I'm not 'shitting' you." He looked like the phrase was mildly disgusting, and lowered his weapon.

"Holy shit," Vega broke into a large smile, "Hell man, everyone who has been within spitting distance of Omega has heard of Archangel! You made the gangs sit up and pay attention. Hells, you are friggin' heroes!" He held out his arms widely.

"That's…great," Zaeed rose a brow, "Look, kid, right now, you are getting in our way. Why don't you just turn around and tell whoever it is you are reporting to that everything is in hand?"

"Yeah, no way, hermano," Vega shook his head, "I'm gonna stick to you three like glue. My assignment was to find out what was going on here, and that's what I'm gonna do."

Archangel stared at the N7, and glanced sideways at Thane and Zaeed.

"Yeah, you can do us a solid," Zaeed drawled, "Up there on the roof? There is a turret. Its got some serious mods."

Archangel nodded, "And this file," he brought up his omnitool and transferred images to Vega's omnitool, "Has vid evidence. Get this to the Admiral. We are moving on to the other settlement."

"Alright, sure. No worries," Vega shrugged, "Why you trusting me with this?"

"Because you are a fine upstanding member of N7," Zaeed replied, straightfaced. He grunted as Thane did something to his ribs with a movement almost too fast to see.

"Yeah, sure…" Vega muttered uneasily.

After several minutes gathering up the parts of the turrets, Vega took off in the shuttle he had borrowed to head back to Rayya Citadel.

The three looked at each other, and Archangel muttered, "Now we can get on with it."

* * *

Vega landed at the Citadel. The shuttle area was quiet as he stepped from the pilot's seat. He paused as he saw a long legged creature poised on the front of the shuttle parked next to his. She was a major hottie. Long, coiling red hair, freckles dusted over a creamy complexion, cupids bow lips coloured a rich burgundy and green eyes that sparkled with heated mischief when she saw him.

"Well hey there," a crooked smile curved those amazing lips.

"Hey yourself," Vega drawled, checking her out with an interested gaze.

"N7, huh?" she levered herself upright and strode toward him. Her lean body was clad, head to toe in unrelieved black, belted at the hips and dipped low to reveal the curve of her cleavage. She traced her fingertips over the N7 badge on his chest, "I have never met an N7 before."

"Never met anyone like you before either," Vega ran a hand down her arm, confident in his charm.

"Aww, so sweet," she touched him lightly on the chin, "Miranda never said you were so sweet."

"Uhhh," Vega blinked in surprise, "So…who are you?"

A sting caused him to twitch, and he slapped a hand over the fingers that caressed his neck, "What the…?" His eyes rolled back in his head and he fell like a dead weight to the ground.

The red head squatted and activated his omnitool, transferring all data to her own. She tugged the duffel he had been carrying toward her. She leaned over and kissed him on the mouth, leaving behind the tint of purple. She patted his cheek, "Poor boy."

She rose to her full height, picked up the duffel and ran off.

* * *

"We found him in the shuttle bay," Tali explained to Archangel, who stood staring through the window at the comatose N7. He looked troubled.

"Did he have the evidence on him that we sent him off with?" he asked.

"What evidence?" Tali looked puzzled.

"Damn," Archangel raised a hand to his forehead, and rubbed his brow, "What knocked him out?"

"He was injected with something," Tali replied, "There was a mark on his neck."

"Have you reviewed the security footage?"

"It was shut off in the shuttle bay. Someone shut it off."

Archangel was silent for a while, "What about the camera in the shuttle itself?"

"Wouldn't it shut off if the shuttle was powered down?" Tali queried.

"The camera would have been active as he swung in," Archangel explained, "Maybe it caught something."

"Ancestors," Tali breathed, "I didn't think of that."

"I will look into it," Garrus touched Tali on the arm, "We will find out what is going on, Tali. I promise."

"Thank you, Garrus," Tali squeezed his hand.

He paused, as though to speak, but hurried off instead.

Tali turned back to the window and the unconscious N7 agent.

* * *

Archangel leaned back and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Garrus…" Thane broke the silence and laid his hand on his friend's arm.

"Yeah, I know," Archangel growled.

"What the fuck is Shepard doing here?" Zaeed snarled, hand clenching on the gun, "And when can we hunt her down…I owe her a few pops."

"Zaeed," Thane said gently, "Shut the hell up."

"What?" Zaeed protested, "We hate her don't we? She stole those weapons plans from us and sold them on to the batarians."

"I know what she did," Archangel growled low in his throat, jerked his chair backward and stalked from the room.

"What? What'd I say?" Zaeed protested.

"He was in love with her, Zaeed," Thane replied calmly, "He trusted her."

"Shit, really?" Zaeed scratched his head, "I thought he was just regular mad. But Shepard ripped out the heart of our Archangel? That explains a lot. What about Tali though? I thought they had a thing?"

"It's complicated," Thane replied, and sighed, "He's protective of the Admiral. They were squadmates long before lovers. And they were lovers only briefly. He and Shepard?" the drell shook his head, "That was something entirely different."

Alarms sounded throughout the compound.

"Hells!" Zaeed grabbed up his rifle, "Come on, buddy. Looks like we got trouble!"

Thane sighed, "It would seem."

They strode out and met Archangel at the door to their rooms.


	3. Chapter 3

Their shuttle swung in through shattered segment of the biosphere. There was the sound of combat as they dropped out into what seemed to be a farm with plenty of vines. Shuttles were coming in after them with quarian marines, but they were lagging behind.

Archangel started running, closely followed by Thane and Zaeed. Closer to the site, he pointed his two fingers off to the left. Thane and Zaeed peeled off and took off through the greenery, while he continued his set path toward the outbuildings. Pistol in hand he ran into a building, up the stairs and onto the roof. The place was deserted. He holstered the pistol and yanked his sniper rifle from its holster on his back. Lying down he propped the tripod of the weapon down and sighted through it.

The biosphere was a field of carnage. These quarians were citizens of the fleet, scientists and farmers, not marines and they were cut down while they ran and hid. Helmeted soldiers ran through, shooting everything. Archangel waited for the signal. And there it was.

His rifle was hidden in the echoes of gunfire down below. His weapon grew hot but still he did not stop. Thane whirled through, barely being touched by those he killed. A constant stream of death, supported by Zaeed with his rifle. And Archangel watched over them both, taking down anyone that came too close while Thane was occupied. For the first time, red blood stained Rannoch earth. He could see the black and red figure of the N7 agent, Vega, join the fray. He acquitted himself well, his skills a rival to their own. Archangel huffed a surprised sound.

"Hey handsome," the voice above and behind him was startling, and he rolled over, going for his pistol.

* * *

Thane knelt in the dirt and prayed, his voice a low rumble as he intoned the words that had become familiar to Zaeed. The human merc puffed on his cigar as the quarian marines collected up the dead bodies and the N7 agent, Vega, pored over the dead invaders. Who were they? There was no insignia on their armour. They were human, yes, but there was no identification whatsoever, no tags, no papers. And none of them had an omnitool.

"So," when Thane finished and dusted off his pants, Zaeed gestured around him, "Have you seen Archangel?"

* * *

When Garrus woke he had a pounding head. The last thing he had seen was a shadow falling over him, and as he rolled to respond, he had been hit square in the chest with a biotic punch. He was seated in a chair, his arms cuffed to the sides, his legs cuffed to the floor. A metal band held him upright.

"Hey, handsome," the very familiar, smoky voice sounded behind him. He tried to turn his head.

"Sabine," he growled, glancing around the room, the very dark, very dank, square room.

"Awww," Shepard splayed her hand over his neck and caressed him as a lover would. She swung around and straddled his thighs with her long, muscular legs. Her arms went around his neck and he snarled angrily, "What? No warm welcome, lover?" Her voice was a teasing drawl, and she traced his mandibles.

"What the hell are you doing all mixed up in this, Shepard?" Garrus was angry.

"Someone paid me, sweetheart," Shepard patted his mandible and swung her leg off him and stood up.

"So what now? You planning to kill me?"

"You know that if I wanted you dead, you would be," a sultry smile.

"Then what?" Garrus strained against his manacles.

"I wanted a little chat," she shrugged prettily.

"And?"

"Then I let you go," Shepard brushed her hand across his fringe and walked behind him again. Uneasily, Garrus heard her shuffling things around. There was a beep of technology powering up.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Never you mind," there was the hint of steel in the voice as Shepard came back around into view. She straddled his thighs again and sat down. This time there was no teasing and her eyes were intense on his.

"Get out of here, Garrus. This is one situation the Archangel can't help with," her voice was low, and her hands cupped his face with a gentleness he couldn't have suspected she possessed.

"I can't, Shepard," he rumbled, softly.

"Why?"

"It's what you do for friends," he gave a turian shrug.

"Am I not a friend?" her green eyes were intense.

"I thought we were," his voice was grim, his bright blue gaze holding her own, "But when you betrayed me, you proved you couldn't be trusted."

Shepard gave a sad smile, her lips quirking. His eyes fell to them and his breath hitched. Her arms slid up his chest.

"Stop," he snarled.

Her hands stilled, but she held his gaze.

"We were always good in bed," Shepard mustered up her sauciness again, and kissed him on the lips before he could jerk away. She hovered over him briefly, his vision filled with silky red hair and luminous green eyes, "Get out, Garrus, or you will be killed. I can't stop him."

He felt a sting on his arm.

"Why…tell…me?" his tongue felt thick, and his eyes were drifting closed, her face swimming before him.

"Because I…"

He was out before he heard what she said, though he struggled against it.

* * *

"Archangel? Dude? You awake?" the face of the N7 operative swam into focus. A broad hand slapped his mandibles. He grunted. The hand drew back again and Garrus forced his hand up to snatch at the massive paw.

"Spirits, Vega, you didn't have to hit so hard," the turian growled. He was lying on cold concrete in the small room.

"Sorry, hermano, you were out to it," Vega held down his hand and tugged Archangel upright. The turian propped his hands on his knees a moment, forcing down the nausea that assailed his senses while Vega spoke into his comm, "Found him, guys. He was in the second compound."

"How did you find me?" Archangel asked when he figured he could speak without heaving up the contents of his stomach.

"You dropped off the map during the Zar'jorel attack. Your locator was switched off. Then a couple hours ago it turned back on again. You are in a bunker underneath Xen'haeron."

"I need to get back. It's gotten complicated," Archangel made an unsteady step toward the door.

"Careful, amigo, you ain't so steady on your legs there," Vega grabbed for him and such was the measure of his disorientation that Archangel allowed the assist.

* * *

"What happened, Garrus?" Thane asked quietly as the four of them sat in the relative cool of their rooms. Vega had been allowed to stay, or at the very least, refused to leave.

Archangel sat with his head in his hands, the aftermath of the drugs causing a headache he had taken a painkiller for. It took him a moment to reply.

"Shepard got me," his voice was bleak, "She told me…us…to get out. That she can't stop him."

"What? Who is 'him'?" Zaeed tapped his fingertips on the arm of the chair he was sprawled in.

"Damned if I know," Archangel levered himself upright, and looked like he regretted the decision, "But she was afraid of him. I could feel it in her. She was terrified."

"Shepard? Terrified?" Zaeed scoffed.

"Who is Shepard?" Vega looked bewildered.

The men looked at each other. Archangel shrugged, and Thane began the explanation.

"You know of us, or at least, Archangel," Thane nods at Garrus, "Well, Shepard was once one of us. She is the one who took you down with barely more than a flirtatious smile."

"Yeah," Vega grinned, "She was smokin' hot."

"She stole from us," Thane replied flatly, "Stole and ran."

"Dang. Well, she's playin' some kinda game here," Vega leaned back in his chair, slinging one leg indolently over the other.

"Yes, some kind of game," Archangel rubbed his brow, "And the quarians are in danger."

"I'm not sure I understand. What on earth do these folks want with a barely habitable world. If it weren't for the biospheres that the geth built, the place would be a damn desert," Vega gestured widely.

"What…did you say?" Archangel looked up at Vega with piercing blue eyes.

Vega looked around at the others, startled, "What do they want with a barely habitable world?"

"No," Archangel stood, and swayed a moment as his vision fuzzed, but he held it together, "The geth build the biospheres. The geth." He looked at Thane, "Have they counted geth bodies to geth assigned to each settlement? Are there any missing?"

"I don't know," Thane shook his head.

"Find out," Archangel replied grimly, "Vega, you're with me. Zaeed, I got something else in mind for you."


	4. Chapter 4

Archangel walked up to the Prime on duty at the shuttle bay. Vega stood behind him, eying the massive geth warily.

"I need to speak with you," the turian declared firmly.

"We would ask what it is that Archangel Mercenary wishes with the consensus?" the Prime regarded him, the lights of its sensors flaring, "Creator Tali'zorah has given us permission to speak with you on any matter regarding the investigation."

"Have any of your number gone missing on Rannoch?" Archangel began, "After the attacks. Were any of the geth missing?"

There was a brief pause, "The parts returned to us from the Creators were incomplete. Many were disassembled during the attacks and their awareness returned to us."

"Not…disassembled geth," Archangel shook his head, he looked at Vega for assistance.

"You got anyone that hasn't reported in?" Vega asked after a brief pause.

"Not…reported in? The geth do not need to report in, Vega Lieutenant. We know where each of us are at any given point," the Prime managed to sound confused.

"Is it possible to rope one of your lot off from the main herd? Y'know, make one…not show up on your radar?"

"Your speech is strange, Vega Lieutenant," the Prime pauses, "But we believe we understand your meaning. It would take some powerful technology to remove a geth unit from the Consensus and still have it remain operational."

"Can you check? Find out if there is any of your…kind…that have gone radio silent?" Archangel asked.

"Checking…" the Prime went silent. No more than a count of ten had taken place before it turned its head, and there was a note of concern its it mechanical voice, "Three units are unaccounted for. They are not amongst the damaged units. Their awareness has not returned to us. We cannot detect them on our network."

"Damn," Vega muttered.

"They have probably been shut down until these soldiers need them switched back on," Garrus replied thoughtfully.

"You think they want Rannoch? That's just crazy. This place can barely sustain life yet. No to mention two of the biggest fleets are hovering around watching over it. They only got through because they had cloaking that slipped the sensors here," Vega replied dubiously.

"They are planning something. And just kidnapped the units that have the complete knowledge about the biospheres and their defenses."

"Maybe there is something here they want. Something…" Vega rubs his shorn scalp thoughtfully, "…something valuable."

"I wonder what the quarian scientists have to say on the matter," Archangel replied softly, "I hope Thane has found what we need. Come on." He nodded at the Prime and strode toward the main buildings.

* * *

Thane sat at the terminal that accessed the entire file network for Rannoch. Tali had given him the security pass and he tapped his elegant fingers on the keys as he skimmed through pages of information. His eyes skimmed rapidly taking in vast amounts of information.

He frowned.

Retrieved other files, checked their provenance. He made a soft humming sound in his throat. He touched his hand to his comm, "Archangel. I think you and the Lieutenant need to join me when you have a moment."

"On our way," came the brief reply.

Thane activated his omnitool, accessed the information and downloaded the relevant files. He rubbed his lower lip and glanced up as the room allowed entry for the tall turian and his solid companion.

"Archangel," Thane greeted him calmly, "I believe I may have found something. You wished to know why the soldiers were coming here? Their purpose?"

"Yes," Archangel pulled up a seat, "What have you found."

"Miranda Lawson's virtual fingerprints are all over files relating to resources stored in the geth warehouses underneath Rayya Citadel," Thane pointed out the file access number he referred to, and its reappearance through several other files.

"What is so important in these warehouses?"

"Rannoch has some of the richest deposits of eezo in this system, it would seem," Thane reported flatly, "The geth have been mining it for years. And storing it below Rayya."

"What?" Vega stepped forward, a frown on his face, "And the quarians know this? And not mining it themselves? It would earn them a whole heap of credits on the open market."

Thane and Archangel turned to stare at him. Thane was the one who spoke.

"Have you ever seen a planet decimated by mining, Vega?"

"Well…no. I mean, they messed up Earth a good deal, but the corporations turned their eyes offworld when we discovered the mass relays. Earth is pretty well depleted anyway," Vega shrugged, and paused, "Oh. Right."

"The quarians don't want to turn their one chance at building a safe, functioning world into a pit of hell," Archangel leaned forward, his hands linking between his knees, "But you can better believe that these people know what's under our feet. And they want it so badly they are risking a fight with the quarians and the geth."

"And this Miranda Lawson sent them the information," Vega growled.

"Can't be sure," Thane shook his head, "But its an odd coincidence that this occurs in the few weeks before the attacks started. Rannoch has been trying to get on its feet for years now."

"If Miss Lawson has done this, shouldn't the Admiral be informed?" Vega queried.

"Are you sure, Thane? Really sure that this access code belongs to Miss Lawson?" Archangel turned his bright blue gaze on the drell.

"You have not questioned me before, Garrus," Thane chided gently.

"I know," Archangel rose his hand to his brow, "I am sorry, my friend, but I need to be sure when I go to Tali with this. Miranda has many contacts within the Citadel, not just the Alliance. To accuse her of this link with these people… it edges into politics that I tend to avoid."

Thane was quiet for a long moment. He rose his omnitool and transferred the information to Archangel, "The number she used links back to messages she sent to Ambassador Udina on the Citadel. Either she screwed up, or assumed people would not be looking for the connection. Is this sufficient?"

"Yes, I am sorry to question you, Thane," Archangel rose to his feet, "I will talk to her. Good work. Vega, I want you to link up Zaeed. This place needs to beef up its security. Now."

"I will set up observation on Miss Lawson," Thane stood also, shutting down the terminal, "We need to keep a close eye upon her."

* * *

Tali stood with her arms folded. While her expression was not discernible, her body language was. She was angry.

"Miranda's presence here has meant we have received continued support from the Alliance, and the Citadel," her voice vibrated with emotion, though Archangel could not tell if it was directed at him or at Miranda.

"Why did she stay? Why Miss Lawson and not another government functionary?" Archangel queried.

"She requested the assignment. We were friends. At least, I thought we were friends," Tali sounded puzzled, "And when Ambassador Udina offered to have someone stay that could be a political connection, I jumped at the chance! She had just helped us with the geth. I had no reason to distrust her."

"So she has had access to your entire file systems?"

"Of course not," Tali protested, "I am not that naive."

"And yet she accessed information on what resources the geth had stored here in Rayya and sent it offplanet…somewhere…"

"How can I accuse her based on numbers, Garrus?" Tali walked to the balcony railing and clutched it.

"She used the same codes to send messages to Ambassador Udina," Archangel touched her lightly on the shoulder, and winced as she bowed her head in defeat. She was silent for a long moment.

"Then she needs to be watched. Carefully. She will have all access to communications off planet revoked," Tali stiffened her spine, and her voice sharpened. She shrugged off his hand, and rose her hand to her comm, "Kal? I need you to meet me at the co-ordinates I give you."

She looked up at Archangel, "If what you say is correct, nothing is secure anymore."

Archangel folded his arms across his chest helplessly, "I'm sorry, Tali."

"I thought this was over," Tali stared out over the plains contained within the biosphere, "I thought we had peace. After three hundred years."

"We will stop them, Tali," Archangel was grim, "Thane is following Miranda and he will not be seen if he does not wish it. You know what he can do."

"I know," Tali sighed, and strode toward the door. She paused in the frame and looked back at him, "I suppose we had best prepare for war."

Archangel bowed his head.


	5. Chapter 5

Night had fallen on Rannoch and tensions were high. The geth were arming, and the quarian citizens were nervous. Tali was worn thin. Attempts to rise the Migrant Fleet were proving unsuccessful. Kal'Reegar and his small unit of marines were on constant patrol with the geth, but Rannoch was a big planet. Several settlements nearby had been evacuated, so Rayya Citadel was at boiling point.

Three men sat on their balcony. One drew his hand to his mouth in the darkness and his face illuminated in the hazy glow of his cigar.

"Any word from Thane?"

"Miss Lawson has been in her rooms all day, on her extranet terminal. When Tali blocked her out from communications this afternoon, she broke the mirror on her wall with this…thing on her desk. She just flung it with her biotics," Archangel leaned back and stretched out his long legs.

"Temper, temper," Vega drawled.

"When she called through, Tali said that all offworld communications were being blocked. That she couldn't raise the migrant fleet either,"

"What?" Zaeed leaned forward, "Is that for real?"

"Yeah," Archangel muttered, "It is."

"But the geth are alright?"

"I guess they run off a different system," Archangel shrugged, "They have sent down reinforcements - luckily." He grunted and rose to his feet, "I'm going to try to close my eyes for a bit. If these guys hit, I want to be functional."

"Yeah, will turn in in a while," Zaeed puffed on his cigar.

Vega nodded, "Thanks, Archangel, really. You didn't have to include me in this."

"You won't thank me if these guys level Rayya," Archangel replied drily, "And you end up on a memorial wall somewhere."

Vega shrugged, "They still have to get through us." He grinned in confidence, "And the Archangel is invincible."

"He won't if he can't get any rack time," Archangel grunted and saluted the others.

* * *

Garrus turned over in his sleep, throwing an arm over his eyes. The sheets were tangled onto the floor, a testament to his restlessness. He murmured something under his breath.

The door to his room slid silently open and a figure crept in, closing it behind them. A gun glinted in a shaft of light from the bathroom as the black clad form stole across the floor, crouched low.

The figure paused beside the bed and bent over. Garrus muttered again, and his arm slid down slowly to rest on his naked chest. The figure reached out a gloved hand to touch his face, but paused. The glove was brought to lips that were a pale pink and tugged off with even white teeth. The glove dropped like a dark spider to the ground at booted feet.

The pale fingers reached out again, hovering mere millimetres from the mandibles of the sleeping turian. With the gentlest touch, the figure traced the rough surface - and suddenly found themselves looking straight at a pair of sharp blue eyes.

The hand was trapped and the turian rolled from the bed in a sudden movement, twisting and striking out with a clenched fist. The gun skittered across the floor in a metallic rush. The punch was blocked with a slender wrist. Garrus grabbed it, twisted again, but the lean form spun away, striking out with a booted foot. The toe struck the back of his leg and he staggered. He drove down to one knee with a grunt. A half second pause before he lunged up to tackle the crouching interloper.

He grabbed the figure around the waist and they slammed into a wall, his plated forearm pressed into a soft throat.

"Hey, handsome," the figure croaked out.

"Shepard?" Garrus was surprised enough to loosen his grip a little, "The hell are you doing here?"

"Bringing a message," Shepard gasped out.

"From who?" his voice lowered into a growl.

"Him," Shepard shrugged, but with difficulty.

"What kind of game is this, Sabine?"

"One with high stakes," she curled her fingers around his forearm and caressed the skin of his forearm, "Want to let me go?"

"Not a chance in hell," Garrus rumbled, "What's the message?"

"A lot of folks are about to die," Shepard stared at him with green eyes, and that curving smile, "unless you just let them take the eezo."

Garrus was silent for a long moment.

"You have an hour," Shepard reached out and touched his face. He jerked his head away in irritation.

"To decide what?" Garrus tightened his grip and her breath hissed from her throat.

"With the geth he has, he can get in through the biosphere. He has a quarian too," Shepard's voice grew serious, "…you guys didn't know that. Sometimes explosions cover up a multitude of sins." A shaky smile. "He will kill everyone here without a second thought, Garrus. I got him to at least make this offer."

"I can't make that decision, Shepard," Garrus leaned forward and his face was mere inches from hers, "And you are under arrest for crimes against the quarian people."

Shepard reached up and touched him on the face again, her fingertips gentle, "If I am not back in…" she looked at her watch, "…fifty five minutes now, this place will be razed to the ground. You will be dead. And I will be dead."

Garrus snarled, "What are the specific terms?"

"In one hour, you will send the message that you will allow shuttles from Cerberus into Rayya Citadel. The geth must be withdrawn outside the biosphere. Cerberus will obtain the Element Zero, and depart. If anyone draws on them, or tries to stop them, they will level everything in here. If you don't, they will kill everyone and take the eezo anyway," Shepard shook her head, "You don't understand, Garrus. They can do this. They have so many more resources than even I suspected."

"Shepard," Garrus' voice gentled from its angry growl, "You aren't a murderer. This isn't …you. You can't allow this."

"This is how I can ensure no one else dies, Garrus," Shepard whispered, her eyes still steady on his own, "This is me. I know I hurt you, I know that you have no reason to trust me. But trust this - I don't want anyone else to die."

Garrus released his arm from her throat and touched her hair with the back of his knuckles, "I need to speak to Tali'zorah. The least I can do is make the offer."

"Please convince her, Garrus," Shepard sought his gaze, "Please. I can't…see you all die. I just can't."

"Why are you in all this, Shepard?" Garrus released the arm he had locked around her waist.

Shepard shrugged, "I got paid to find out some information."

"It was you," Garrus growled low in his throat, "Miranda Lawson was passing the information onto you."

"Yes," Shepard replied simply.

"Why haven't you walked away, Sabine?"

"I can't, Garrus," Shepard swallowed then.

"Of course you can," Garrus snapped, "You walked away from me? From us? You can walk away from this job. You got paid, you did your job."

Shepard paused, and broke her gaze from his for the first time. She turned her back on him and ran her hands through her hair, tugging it to the side. Cybernetics burrowed into the soft skin of her neck, the fine wires vicious in their elegance.

"You don't walk away from him," her voice was almost inaudible.

Garrus' hands came down on her shoulders and he spoke, "Lights, thirty percent." The room rose to a warm glow and he studied the tech, "What is this, Shepard?"

"He ensured my loyalty," her voice, normally that smoky honey over velvet, was devoid of emotion.

"Sabine…" Garrus wrapped long arms around her and pulled her back to his chest, pressing his face into her hair. Her hands clutched at his forearms in desperation. They stood like that for a few moments before she straightened her spine.

"I'm sorry, Garrus," she choked out, "I have to go. Send me word," she activated her omnitool, "This link runs out in forty five minutes." She pulled out of his embrace, turned and touched his face, "I'm sorry the way this worked out."

"We can help you, Sabine. Don't run."

She gave him a quirk of a smile, leaned in to kiss him gently, "You can't help me, Garrus, but you can help the quarians, the geth. Don't let them die."

She stepped away, and ran to the door, slipping out and leaving him in silence. He clenched his fists, and touched his comm.

"Guys. Get to my room. Now," he snarled out, shutting off the connection abruptly. He turned to get his armour on. It was going to be a fast forty five minutes.


	6. Chapter 6

"What are your orders, Tali?" Archangel asked, his rifle in position.

"How much time is left?" Tali turns to look at him from her position by the massive windows in her apartment.

A quick check.

"Fifteen minutes."

"Damn," Tali's hands clenched, "And you are very certain that this…Shepard is telling the truth."

Archangel paused, "I believe she is."

Tali held out her hand to the quarian standing next to her. He took it in a firm grasp.

"Kal," Tali murmured, "I need your counsel."

"Admiral Tali'zorah nar Rayya vas Neema, you got back our planet. You know that I, and every quarian here, will follow you whatever you decide," Kal'Reegar brought her hand to his chest, "The Fleet will know something is wrong when we don't contact them. The geth are here protecting us…and you did that too." He touched her faceplate gently, "Fight or hand over the eezo…we are with you."

"With your permission, Admiral," James Vega stepped forward, drawing looks of surprise, "I think I have an idea."

Tali glanced toward him, "Lieutenant Vega, speak."

Vega spent the next minute speaking swiftly and gesturing wildly.

"It's worth a shot…" Zaeed drawled.

Archangel nodded slowly, "Yes. Yes it is," he tapped his comm, "Did you get that Thane?"

A click of acknowledgment came through.

"Tali?" Archangel looked at Tali, who nodded, now with more certainty.

"Yes, Garrus, yes," she clutched Kal'Reegar's hand tightly as she spoke, "You all know what to do. I will be prepared."

* * *

Archangel typed the message with minutes to spare, his fingers flying over the keys.

SHEPARD. OFFER ACCEPTED. GETH WITHDRAWING.

The reply came through.

ACKNOWLEDGED. THANK THE GODS. LANDING AN HOUR.

He looked up toward the three men standing before him.

"Kal," he looked to the quarian, "Get your men into position."

To Zaeed and Vega, "You know what to do."

Tapping his comm, "Where is she, Thane?"

The voice was barely audible, "She received a message on a private device a few moments ago. She is packing some gear."

"She expects to be going with these Cerberus people. Make that not happen, Thane."

"A pleasure," the drell replied and signed off.

* * *

Vega flicked the Prime a salute, "That works for you guys…uh…geth…?"

The Prime paused for a moment and lifted its rifle, "Understood, Vega Lieutenant. We shall see it done."

Without further communication, the Prime, and several smaller geth troopers followed it.

He touched his comm, "Ready, Archangel."

* * *

Zaeed crossed his booted feet, one over the other, and leaned back against a column with his cigar. His eyes closed against the smoke.

"We are in position," and yawned.

* * *

Archangel turned to look at Tali, "Alright, I'm heading into position."

"I hope I made the right decision, Garrus," Tali folded her arms across her chest. She had changed from robes into her old combat gear.

"You made a decision, Tali," he looked back at her from the door way, "Right or wrong, is immaterial. Now we help you carry it out." Archangel quirked a mandible in a turian smile. He touched a hand to his comm, "Fifteen minutes to go. The Admiral and I are heading down to the shuttle bay to wait for them."

* * *

The geth dropships lifted off, and slid through low atmo toward their base ship that hovered near the planet's moon.

* * *

A quiet settled over Rayya Citadel.


	7. Chapter 7

The massive shuttles swung in and several men in helmeted armour stepped out, all bearing weapons. They pointed them at Archangel and Tali, who stood with palms outstretched.

A man came out of the second shuttle, unlike the rest, dressed in an expensive tunic. He walked slowly up to Tali.

"I wasn't certain you would agree to this deal, Admiral," his elegant form stood hipcocked and arrogant.

"I nearly didn't," Tali replied sharply, "Who are you?"

"I think it is better you don't know," came the reply, "Alright then, it will take my people quite some time to get that eezo out of your storage. Let's say we get started," a cheerful smile was given as a watch was checked.

"Of course, Mr Vakarian here will assist you accessing the…" Tali's voice broke off as the man held up his hand.

"That wont be necessary. I know who Mr Vakarian is," the man gestured toward his shuttle, and smiled pleasantly, "So I thought I would bring a little…insurance."

A soldier shoved a bound woman from the shuttle.

"Sabine!" Garrus growled, and his eyes sparked anger. She had been beaten. Hard. But her eyes held a shimmering anger, and despite her bound arms, she was vibrating with vengeance.

"Mr Vakarian. I know your reputation. You can imagine my joy when I discovered the connection you held with Ms Shepard," the human dusted a stray lint from his shoulder, and smiled at Garrus.

Tali laid a restraining hand on Garrus' arm before he would have surged forward.

The human waved his hand and the guards yanked and pulled Shepard back toward the shuttle, "As prosaic as this is," he sighed, "I think it goes without saying…do what I say or…" he wiggled his fingers.

Garrus hissed between predators teeth.

"I think we have an understanding," the human flipped two fingers to his brow and saluted, "Thank you. So much."

* * *

"Tali…" Garrus murmured low in his throat.

"We will get her," Tali replied smoothly, "They are relying on you to do your part." She turned and patted his mandibles with firm fingers, "I had no idea, Garrus. You should have said something."

Garrus gripped Tali's hand firmly, before walking slowly toward the entrance to the shuttle bays. He had work to do. He touched his hand to his comm, "Now, Thane."

* * *

Miranda checked her terminal, and fidgeted with annoyance. She paced, her irritation palpable. She checked her terminal, but there was no new messages. She stalked to the windows and stared down at the Cerberus shuttles.

"Come on…" she muttered.

"Waiting for something, Ms Lawson?" a soft voice asked behind her.

She whirled.

"What are you doing here?!" Miranda stumbled back, her hand clenching.

The drell moved slowly, his lean form stalking toward her.

"Stay back," she held out her hand, her palms flaring with blue biotics.

"I would not do that," lifted his gun and pointed it at her, "You should not have betrayed Admiral Tali'zorah."

"Betrayed? No…" Miranda shook her head, "I haven't done anything."

"You did not cover your tracks well enough," Thane's aim was steady.

"So what? You are here to kill me?"

"That all depends on you," Thane replied.

"I don't understand," Miranda brightened her biotics.

"Stand down, Miss Lawson. You will be taken into custody and put on trial by the quarian Admiralty for treason."

"Are you mad?" Miranda protested, her eyes wildly seeking escape, "I was put here by the Alliance. They wont stand for this…"

"The Alliance, for all their faults, do not stand for those who commit treason," Thane uttered reasonably.

Miranda panicked and threw the biotic charge she had built up. Thane dived out of the way. She ran for the door, and he came up out of the roll with a smooth action, capturing her arm and slamming her into the wall, trapping her there with his body. His voice was a gentle humm, belying the violence of his actions.

There was the sound of a shot.

Miranda's eyes went wide.

"I am sorry, Ms Lawson," he held her weight as the life drained from her body, and lowered her to the floor. He touched her brow, and murmured a soft prayer. Her breath gasped from her throat.

Thane rubbed his chin with the back of his hand and sighed. He touched his comm.

"It is done."

There was silence for a moment, then: "I need you here, Thane. He has Sabine."

"On my way."

* * *

Archangel stood watching the Cerberus soldiers move into the underground warehouses. He calmed his breathing. Things had gotten a little complicated, but he could not allow Shepard's presence here to cloud his judgment. Tali's decision would stand.

Massive crates started shifting out on trolleys, escorted by the armed guards. They were loaded onto the shuttles.

There was a click in his earpiece, and his mandibles fluttered thoughtfully. He watched the shuttles. She was down there. He just had to hope that Thane was in position.

"It's a go."

All hell broke lose. Gun fire sounded throughout the compound. Geth uncoiled from the crates, and shot the unsuspecting soldiers. Down in the warehouses, Zaeed steadily fired and reloaded again and again. A Prime threw Archangel a rifle as he leapt to the platform below. He lifted it, and ran forward, firing steading at Cerberus soldiers. Biotics and tech flew around him, as he kept driving forward. He could see Tali bunkered behind an abandoned crate.

"The shuttle bay is locked down," Archangel shouted out to Tali, "Zaeed has them pinned in the warehouse. Does anyone have eyes on that guy?"

"No," Tali shook her head at him, crouching low, "Shepard?"

"I don't know. I sent Thane after her," Archangel replied, his expression grim.

"Like old times, Garrus," Tali ducked out of cover and threw a tech charge at one of the soldiers trying to advance on them.

Archangel rumbled a laugh.

They leapfrogged the corridor, heading down toward the warehouse. Several geth corpses were scattered on the ground, as well as one of the quarian marines at the door of the massive underground structure.

"Sitrep, Zaeed?"

"Got them pinned, Archangel, ready and waiting just for you,"

"Nice work, Zaeed, we are coming through the doors now," Archangel jerked his head at Tali and she slid into the room that had been thrown into darkness.

The sound of firing echoed.

* * *

Archangel kicked over another corpse. He grunted in frustration, "No one saw him get out?"

"Nope," Zaeed muttered gruffly, annoyance colouring his tone, "I can't believe I didn't see shit. I had eyes on the doors the whole time."

"He was probably cloaked," Kal'Reegar holstered his pistol and touched Tali lightly on the back, "We are sweeping the area now."

"I'm heading back to the shuttle bay," Archangel snarled, "If he wants off planet, that's his only way out."

"I'm with you," Zaeed hefted his rifle, and Vega stepped up beside him with a grin.

"Hell yeah, hermano, that bastard isn't getting away."

* * *

Archangel swept the shuttle bay with his rifle, there was no movement. Bodies, soldier and geth, littered the ground. He gestured and Vega leapfrogged into the bay, rifle readied. Zaeed's voice came through the comm, "I have eyes on the bay, Archangel. Looks like there is movement in the second shuttle. And man…Thane's down. I can see him."

Archangel was silent for a moment, "Alright." He touched his comm, "Kal? Tali? Is the dropship in position?"

"Yes," came the reply, "Unless they cloak, they wont get out."

"Good," Archangel raised his omnitool.

"I don't know who you are," his voice echoed through the hacked speaker system in the bay, "But you must know you aren't taking off from this planet."

"You made a grave error," the cold voice replied through the shuttle's comm speakers.

"You made the error, believing you could use brute force against a people that have dealt with your kind for three hundred years," Archangel crept closer, using an abandoned shuttle as cover. He could see Vega flanking around.

"I am not the one you have to worry about, you stupid alien bastard."

"From where I am standing, I'm not exactly worried about you," Archangel glanced up. Zaeed's rifle glinted in the sun.

Laughter echoed in the room, but there was the edge of viciousness in it.

"For example, you should be worried about your girl, Archangel," came the reply, "I have her hardwired for control. I can have her deal a death blow to your drell assassin. Or if you try to stop me from leaving, I will melt her brain entirely."

Archangel clenched his hand around the stock of his rifle. He leaned his head back against the shuttle and closed his eyes, "Sabine knew the risks. And when she is caught, she will have to face the consequences of her actions. You will do the same. You murdered geth and quarian, all for the prize of a few kilograms of eezo."

"Geth are little more than jumped up household appliances. The quarians are little more than thieves and scavengers. Rats of the galaxy."

Archangel touched his comm, "Thane?" He peered around the shuttle to the crumpled, black clad figure on the ground near the shuttle.

"Thane? Are you still alive?"

There was silence.

"I'm coming to get you," he murmured.

The shuttle powered up.

"If you try to leave," Archangel growled into his hacked speakers, "I will kill you."

"I would like to see you try," came the drawling reply. The shuttle wavered and lifted up. He could see the man in the front seat at the controls.

"Now, Zaeed," he touched his comm.

The shot fired, echoing loudly in the bay. A hole appeared in the fuselage, and the shuttle wobbled.

"Vega. Go,"

A figure in black N7 armour blurred out of cover and leapt onto the hovering platform of the shuttle as Archangel opened fire on the windshield. The glass cracked and crazed. There was the sound of gunfire, the shuttle spun on its axis, and crashed into a stationary vehicle. Smoke poured out of the engine housing that Zaeed had damaged with a heavy round.

Archangel leapt out of cover and charged the downed shuttle. He leapt on board and saw Vega with his gun to the head of the man. Shepard was in a crumpled heap against the back wall of the shuttle, blood smearing her face from a head wound.

Archangel went to a knee beside her. He could see Zaeed crouching beside Thane. He touched his comm, "Tali? We need medical help. They wont be going anywhere."

* * *

Archangel stood with his arms crossed, watching the steady beeping of machines surrounding Shepard. Tali patted his arm gently.

"The operation went fine," she assured him, "They got the tech out without a problem. She's strong."

"I know," he replied, his voice a little bleak.

"And we finally identified her boss. Andreis Sukin. A one time member of the Alliance, but joined this Cerberus after three years in the service," Tali checked her omnitool, "He isn't talking, but it doesn't matter. We got word to the fleet, and they are sending an escort down to take him into permanent custody. He will be put on trial."

"And so will she," Archangel glanced across at his old friend.

"Yes," Tali nodded, "I'm sorry, Garrus, but…she can't walk away from what she did."

"No," he agreed, "She can't."

Tali rested her hand on his arm, and walked out of medbay. He stepped forward and staring down at her pale, relaxed features, a sigh huffed from his lips.

"Ahh, Sabine," he took her hand in his own, "I can't protect you from this one." He stood for a while longer, before releasing her hand and heading to the other room where Thane lay, edgily getting checked over by the doctor.

* * *

"It's okay," Shepard sat with her hands manacled to the floor, a little give in the chains but not much. She was vibrant and beautiful, tough as hell and twice as smart. Archangel couldn't help but touch her face. He sat opposite her in her cell. The heavy chains clinked as she reached up to touch his wrist.

"They are picking you up tonight," he shook his head, "Just tell the truth, Sabine."

She gave him a bright, cheeky smile, "Oh, Garrus, you know me."

He fluttered his mandibles, "That's what I mean."

The smile dimmed a little, "You got me out. I wont forget that."

"I wish things could have been different," Archangel's taloned fingertips caressed her jaw.

Shepard reached out for him, but was brought up short by the chains. She huffed a soft laugh, "You know me, Garrus. I always land on my feet."

Archangel stood, towering over her. He leaned down and pressed his brow against hers. Her bright green eyes shadowed for a moment and drifted closed. He backed up.

"Don't be sad," she whispered, "It's not like you wont see me again."

Archangel stepped back, and his blue eyes were bleak, "It's not likely, Sabine."

Shepard smiled at him, "You take care, Garrus."

"You too," Archangel nodded at her.

* * *

Zaeed punched Archangel's arm as the shuttle carrying the prisoner arced through the sky and out through the biosphere. It was piloted by a single geth, and she was manacled to the floor.

"She's tough, man," the mercenary drawled, chewing on his cigar, "…if there is one chick they can't keep down, it's Shepard."

"She will fade in prison," Archangel muttered in reply.

Shouts came from the watch, distracting them.

"Shit!" Vega swore, using the scope of his rifle to watch the scene.

Archangel lifted his sniper rifle, and peered through the scope. The shuttle was swaying across the sky, flames hissing from an engine. It spun wildly and circled down, chunks falling off before it wheeled to earth.

Thane was at the controls of a shuttle as Vega, Zaeed and Archangel piled in the back.

"Go!" Archangel snapped. The shuttle pulled up and sped toward the still open biosphere portal.

Vega had his binocs out and was scanning the desert floor, when no more than a half dozen klicks from the citadel: "Down there!" he yelled.

Thane brought the shuttle down, dust kicking up at the quick landing. They jumped out, rifles up. Shepard's shuttle burned hot, causing them to throw up their hands. It blew up, raining debris down with wicked heat.

Archangel stood, staring at the downed vehicle. Zaeed swore.

"Fuck," he rubbed the back of his neck, and again: "Fuck."

Thane had clasped his hands to his chest and his lips were murmuring a prayer for the dead.

Archangel tipped his head back and roared his pain to the skies.

"The geth ejected," Vega reported bleakly, "It reported a complete malfunction of the shuttle. But Shepard…"

"They chained her down," Archangel uttered hoarsely, "She couldn't escape." He turned his back on the burning wreckage and stalked back to their shuttle, "Time to get off this damned planet."

Thane and Zaeed glanced at each other. The sound of approaching shuttles were insect loud. The quarians would handle the mess. Vega rubbed the back of his neck.

"Damn," he shook his head, "That's just wrong."


	8. Chapter 8

Garrus Vakarian placed his rifle carefully in its rack. He began to slowly strip the armour from his body. The months since Rannoch had been wearying. The chime of his front door sounded, and he rested his hands on the workbench with a sigh. He wasn't in the mood for guests.

In his underarmour, he walked to the front door and activated the security cam. James Vega waved at him.

"Vega?" he sounded surprised, "What are you doing here?"

"You always said that I should look you up when I got to Omega," the N7 grinned goodnaturedly, "I got us some beer…" he wiggled the pack up at the camera.

Garrus shook his head and just huffed a laugh, "Yeah, come on in." He released the locks and Vega strolled in, a package under one arm, the beer in the other.

He whistled, "Niiiice," glancing around, "I always wondered what the Archangel's pad looked like. Now I know."

"Come on," Garrus crooked his finger, "Grab a seat. I just need to get changed."

"No worries," Vega strolled toward the lounge, "Oh! Here." He tossed the package at Garrus, who caught it easily, "This was at your front door. Didn't set off any sensors…" he shrugged and dropped into a comfortable lounge chair.

"Huh," Garrus stared at the package, scanned it with his omnitool and shook it. He tucked a talon under the tape securing the plain wrapping and revealed the contents. It was a disk inside a foam pack. And a note. He knew that disk. The weapon plans Sabine had stolen. He flicked open the note…and stared.

* * *

I NEVER SOLD IT. S.

* * *

The packing material dropped to the floor, the disk bouncing on the tile. Vega glanced up, concerned.

"Something wrong, hermano?"

"What?" Garrus glanced up, distracted, "Yes. No…I mean… I will be right back." He headed toward his bedroom suite, clutching the note.

Vega yanked the top off a beer, "No rush."

Garrus walked into his darkened room, and shut the door with a firm hand. He muttered, "Lights, twenty percent." The room lifted to a soft glow and he read the note again.

He jumped when hands touched his shoulders, and the smoky, honey over velvet voice wrapped its way around his senses.

"Hey there, handsome."


End file.
